1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective body vests/jerseys for protecting against impact upon a human torso when worn by an athlete during sporting activities. More specifically, the present invention is primarily intended to provide a baseball/softball player added protection from injuries resulting from being hit by a pitched, thrown, hit or tipped ball, being tagged with a ball or colliding with another player. The present invention can also be utilized by athletes engaged in other sporting activities, such as, but not limited to, inline skating, skateboarding, water sports, and touch football, to provide added protection from injuries resulting from falling and/or colliding with another person, player, or matter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, many vests have been created for the purpose of providing protection to the torso of an athlete engaged in sporting activities. These vests, however, only afforded protection to limited areas of the body. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,080, issued to Culton, discloses a protective apparatus against baseball pitching injuries, which is essentially a partial vest contoured to protect the chest, shoulders, and upper arms of the athlete. Designed primarily for use by baseball/softball umpires, the Protective Apparatus is not conducive to batting, running, throwing, fielding or sliding motions due to the combination of adjustable flexible and non-flexible arm and shoulder straps which secure the apparatus snugly to the arms, shoulders and neck of the wearer, prohibiting the full and easy movement of the arms and neck of an athlete wearing the apparatus, and the protective covering over the upper arms which the apparatus provides. In addition, the degree of protection afforded by the Protective Apparatus from a pitched, hit, thrown or tipped ball, a fall, or a collision is limited since 1) there is no protection for the lateral regions and the back of the torso and 2) the amount of protective material in the apparatus is limited since it is designed to fit under the shirt of an umpire. Designed primarily for use by baseball/softball umpires who would wear the apparatus for an extended period of time (i.e., the duration of a baseball/softball game), the Protective Apparatus is not quickly and easily donned due to the number, location and operation (i.e., any required adjustment for fit) of the securing straps and the fact that the wearer has to put on the vest over his/her head while placing one arm at a time through the arm straps. In particular, to achieve the proper fit of the shoulder strap, the wearer would have to reach around his/her lower back with both hands for the most effective operation of the adjusting mechanism, which is located behind the wearer, unless he/she solicited the help of another person.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,202, issued to Scheurer et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,398, issued to Aubrey, both disclose protective vests for flotation utilized in water sporting activities. These vests both have a reduced overall flexibility for other sporting activities due to the relative rigidity of the vest materials. Further, both of these water vests utilize an exposed center opening for the user to put on the vest, a deep V-neck design and a plurality of securing belts fastened across the center opening. These water vests are primarily designed for flotation purposes and not for protection against impact from sporting activities. As such, these vests do not provide the necessary protection needed for the whole torso. Though the water vests provide some protection against the impact of the water, the combination of the center opening and deep V-neck design exposes the heart of the athlete to impact. Further, the body area below the center opening is unprotected, as the center opening is not covered by protective material. Additionally, the securing belts fastened across the center opening are uncovered, resulting in a possible “catch.” Finally, the back of these water vests does not protect the lower spine area of the body from impact forces. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,202 contains a rear opening to adjust the vest to the particular body size that leaves the back exposed to impact forces.
It is therefore highly advantageous to provide a protective vest/jersey that can provide protection from a multi-section, one-piece garment to the torso. In addition, it is advantageous to provide a protective vest/jersey that allows for the removal and insertion of protective padding relative to the wearer's safety, comfort and athletic performance concerns. Further, it is advantageous to provide a protective vest/jersey wherein each shoulder portion comprises at least one fastening device or means therein for attaching or accommodating the attaching of a shoulder pad type object. Further yet, it is advantageous to provide a protective vest/jersey that comprises sleeves that incorporate protective padding. The present invention provides these and other advantages as is hereinafter explained.